Medicate Your Lives (Frerard)

Chapter 7: Frank

"Frank!"

Fuck.

I finally slowed down at the third call of my name, giving up on my attempt to pass unnoticed.

"Yeah." I turned.

"Why are you out in the rain?" It thundered again as he was speaking, resulting in even louder shouts. I crossed the street before he could start screaming. "I'll- okay, yeah, I'll be down." The window slammed and I could imagine him stumbling down the stairs.

Soon enough, I was on his front porch, being ushered into his house- and although it was warm and dry enough, I couldn't help a twinge of annoyance at his insistence on constantly singling me out. A walk in the rain was hardly the worst thing in the world, and yet he insisted on being loud enough about it that the whole neighborhood was sure to hear him.

"Okay, do you need, like, a.... different shirt?" He trailed off as he realized that rubbing a near stranger with a towel was not a widely accepted practice, giving up on that brief mission to instead hand the towel in his hands to me.

"I'm good."

"Okay. Just... let me know. It's a bit cold out there. And. You're soaking, so.... whatever you want."

"Okay."

We stood in silence for a bit while I tried drying my hair. "I really should, uh- go home. I was on my way there. It's-"

"It's storming," he laughed, "you're not... no. You can wait for the rain to stop."

I rolled my eyes but stayed quiet. The sooner I stopped talking, the sooner he'd stop responding.

"Why were you out at a time like this, anyway?"

I wondered why this wasn't one of those times where I was right.

"Nowhere."

"Sounds like a boring place," he laughed weakly, then shifted his stance awkwardly while I looked at him. "Yeah, you don't have to tell me."

His laugh further weakened as I squinted at him.

--

"Oh, please, uh- not inside, please, my ma would kill me," Gerard waved his hands while I slowly lowered the cigarette pack I'd taken out of my pocket.

"And your lungs?"

"And my lungs," he smiled apologetically.

"Alright."

"Alright," he laughed.

I looked at him once again.

"Stop that."

"Stop what?"

"I'm not an idiot, I'm trying to be friendly." He finally sounded annoyed.

"Okay."

"Don't- you're doing it again," he frowned.

"What. This is just my face."

He looked away with a deeper frown when I laughed at his concern.

"Sorry, okay. I'll stop. Whatever."

"Thanks," it was his turn to roll his eyes.

--

Gerard sighed as the thundering got louder.

"I thought this storm would end ages ago."

"Me too."

"Do your parents know you're here?"

I laughed, "no, it's fine."

"Do you need to call them?"

"No."

"Okay. Do you want to... watch something?"

I was ready for a distraction, it had been a good hour of sitting in silence on our respective phones.

"I guess."

--

Somehow Gerard was quietest when he put on the movie. I had expected him to talk throughout, but he simply watched. When I glanced at him, his eyes were glued to the screen, insistent on catching every detail. Despite my protests, it was somehow relaxing to sit there, knowing that I had been invited in, and knowing that Gerard tolerated me. Maybe even wanted to talk to me. Although he was quiet now. At least there was some presence there- someone to sit next to while I ignored the plot of whatever was on.

At school, sure- it was easiest to stay quiet. But that afternoon, with the rain pounding on the roof and the background noise of dialogue, stuck out in my mind as something I would miss on Monday.

---
WHOOOO WELCOME TO 2018!!
This thing hasn't been updated since who knows when!
I barely remember the characterization!
But writing is fun and I'm not going to be as god awfully pretentious as before

okay probably a bit pretentious but not trying to force weird dialogue that a high schooler would never use

idk man
hope u enjoy
like comment subscribe xoxo

SB